MALKY: IT'LL BE TOUGH AT RIVERSIDE

1 March 2013

Will Pallot

Malky Mackay spoke to the press this morning, ahead of City’s trip to the North East to face Middlesbrough.

Tony Mowbray’s men have seen their promotion push falter after a run of just one win in their last eight Championship fixtures. Nevertheless, Malky is expecting them to provide a stern test, just as they did at CCS back in November.

“They are a very dangerous team”, warned the Boss. “I think the fact that they have been on such a run of results and yet are still sitting there or thereabouts shows you how good a start they had.

"That kind of patch, be it good or bad, can happen to anyone in this division. We know we’ve got a tough game up at the Riverside – I’ve never had an easy game against Middlesbrough and I don’t expect one against Tony Mowbray tomorrow.

“There are fine lines every week between winning and losing in this division. They’ve got a squad that could quite easily go on another good run, like anyone in the league. Just look at the excellent run that Barnsley have been on, cleaning teams out, before being turned over massively by Bristol City at the weekend. It’s a precarious division and anyone can beat anyone at any point.”

Former Sunderland man Fraizer Campbell will be looking to continue his sensational early form as he returns to the North East, having bagged another brace against Wolves last time out. And Malky is expecting plenty more from the striker in the future, adding: “He’s been a good buy so far, but he’s someone that’s here for the long term.

"Obviously he’s scored 5 in 5, and goal scorers desperately want to score goals when they come into a new football club. He was someone that wasn’t playing football, needed to play again and to get his career kick-started. He needed us and we needed him, so it’s been a good match.

“He’s been a really humble boy who has come into the middle of the group, and gone right into the same work ethic as the rest of the team, which is something that I’m more than delighted about.”

And finally, as today is Saint David’s Day, Malky commented on the recent success of Welsh athletes across all sports, resulting in a feel good factor in the country, continuing: “The Olympics and Paralympics were great for Wales - and Welsh athletes in particular. Joe Calzaghe has obviously led boxing for a number of years but now Nathan Cleverley has taken up that mantle. He’s a great lad and he’s visited the training ground a few times so I’m delighted for him and his success.

“To see the Welsh Rugby side having won the Six Nations last year, and doing well again now, is also great. But obviously my own sport is football. For ourselves and Swansea to be in situations where we’re challenging, means that there’s a big profile on Welsh sport at the moment, which can only be good for the people that live here and for our fans who have come out in numbers to support us.”